19 Surprisingly Fun Facts You Never Knew About Actor Jenna Ortega's Life

    She's taking Hollywood by storm.

    Michele Bird
    by Michele Bird

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    1. To start, Jenna Ortega was born on September 27, 2002, which makes her a Libra.

    Jenna Ortega on the red carpet
    Jon Kopaloff / Getty Images

    2. She started acting when she was a kid and was actually discovered after her mom posted a video of her on Facebook.

    3. Jenna has since gone on to have roles in Stuck in the Middle, Jane the Virgin, You, and Scream to name a few.

    Jenna Ortega in Scream 5
    Brownie Harris / © Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

    4. Growing up, the actor had five brothers and sisters.

    5. In May 2021, she revealed that she would be playing the iconic role of Wednesday Addams for the upcoming Netflix adaptation by Tim Burton.

    6. Jenna has over 6 million followers on Instagram, and you can give her a follow at @jennaortega.

    7. She has a guilty pleasure for food TV shows.

    Jenna Ortega on the red carpet
    Jeremy Chan / Getty Images

    "I want to learn how to cook, so I watch those when I’m by myself."

    8. The young actor also has a big sweet tooth and can't get enough of chocolate.

    Jenna Ortega on Young Hollywood
    Young Hollywood / Getty Images

    9. In July 2021, Jenna was featured in her first fashion campaign for American Eagle.

    10. The California native made history when she became the voice of Disney's first Latina princess in the animated series Elena of Avalor.

    11. When it comes to her go-to pizza order, you'll likely find her adding jalapeños because she loves to eat spicy food.

    Jenna Ortega on the red carpet
    Emma Mcintyre / Getty Images for YouTube

    12. Having tamales every Christmas is one of her family's longest holiday traditions.

    13. She's a philanthropist at heart and serves as an ambassador for UNAIDS in honor of her grandfather who passed away from the disease.

    Jenna Ortega on the red carpet
    Michael Tran / FilmMagic / Getty Images

    "Growing up, my parents always emphasized the importance of philanthropy — and my mom didn't want me to act originally because she was scared of the industry and all of the horror stories she'd become familiar with," she said.

    14. Her all-time favorite Disney movie is The Lion King.

    Jenna Oretga on the red carpet
    Amy Sussman / Getty Images

    15. TV obsession? She's a huge fan of Netflix's Stranger Things, of course.

    16. One of Jenna's favorite hobbies is taking a pen to paper and writing whenever she can.

    Jenna Ortega on the red carpet
    Jc Olivera / Getty Images

    "I write all the time, I'll write about whatever," she said. "I'll write essays or I'll write scripts, it doesn't really matter but it's a great way to unwind."

    17. She keeps her daily skincare routine simple and low maintenance by using Neutrogena products like the Pink Grapefruit Cleanser and Pink Grapefruit Moisturizer.

    18. When it comes to her personality IRL, she's pretty sarcastic.

    19. And finally, she wants to continue to challenge herself in her acting career and step outside of her comfort zone.

    Jenna Ortega at an event
    Arnold Turner / Getty Images for Creative Artists Agency

    "I do want to do projects that challenge me a little bit more and put me in situations that I may not necessarily be able to initially relate to, just to push myself and see what I can do," she said.

    Don’t miss Sam Claflin in the new rom-com Book of Love from BuzzFeed Studios, coming to Amazon Prime Video February 4 and Sky Cinema February 12.

    Sam Claflin and Verónica Echegui standing on a street below the film's title
    BuzzFeed Studios / Amazon Prime Video